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Make a batch of these easy ground beef tacos from scratch for a Mexican feast that the whole family will love. Simple and quick to make, you don’t have to wait til taco Tuesday to enjoy these!
Tacos are always a family favorite, in fact, Mexican night is always eagerly awaited in our house! This ground beef taco recipe is crazy easy to make and it is bursting with your favorite flavors.
Whether you choose to serve them in soft flour tortillas or crispy taco shells, these are super tasty! In my opinion, this is the best ground beef taco recipe! Load them up with all of your favorite toppings for one delicious feast.
Be sure to try my Salmon Tacos and Shrimp Tacos too!
Why you will love this recipe!
- Quick and easy: Simple to prep and quick to cook, these tacos are ready to enjoy in just 20 minutes.
- Great for a crowd: Perfect for a family night in, this recipe is easily doubled too if you are entertaining.
- So delicious! if you are a Mexican food fan, you are going to love the flavors of these tacos! The beef is rich and well seasoned, and one taco is definitely not enough!
Ingredients
- Oil: For cooking. I like to use olive oil, but canola or vegetable will also work.
- Beef: Use ground beef for this recipe. I like to use lean ground beef, but you can use one higher in fat for a richer flavor.
- Onion: Finely chopped and cooked with the beef.
- Tomato sauce: This creates a nice saucy beef filling and adds richness and flavor.
- Seasonings/spices: The beef taco seasoning is made with a tablespoon of chili powder, as well as salt, cumin, oregano, garlic powder and onion powder.
- Tortillas: You can make these tacos with soft flour or corn tortillas, or hard taco shells.
How to make tacos
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the ground beef. Break the beef up with a wooden spoon while cooking. Add chopped onion. Cook the ground beef fully, until browned and no longer pink.
- Drain any excess grease from the skillet. Then return to the stove and reduce the heat to low.
- Add the 1/2 cup tomato sauce and taco meat seasoning. Stir together until the meat is coated in the sauce.
- Allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add taco meat to tacos shells and add toppings.
- Serve with your favorite salad and sides.
What toppings can you add?
When it comes to tacos, it’s all about the toppings! You can use as many or as little as you like and mix things up o suit your own tastes. Our favorites are:
- Cherry tomatoes
- Shredded lettuce
- Avocado
- Red onion
- Shredded Cheddar cheese
- Sour cream
- Pickled jalapenos
- Cilantro lime rice
- Salsa
- Guacamole
Can you make these tacos with other meats?
I love to make these with ground beef, but you can easily make them with ground chicken, ground turkey, ground pork, or ground bison if you prefer. You can easily make these meat-free too, by using a plant-based option like Beyond Meat. If you mix up the protein, just make sure that it is fully cooked through before serving.
Can you make the taco meat ahead of time?
This taco meat is a great make-ahead option and can also be frozen. Make it up as per the recipe and let it cool before transferring to a covered container. It will keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days and can be frozen for up to 3 months. If frozen, thaw in the fridge overnight. Reheat in a skillet on the stovetop to serve.
TIPS FROM NELI’S KITCHEN
Recipe Notes and Tips for the Best Beef Tacos
- Once the meat has browned, drain away excess fat so that the mixture isn’t greasy. You can quickly do this using a fine mesh sieve.
- Because the meat is quick to cook, I often chop and prep my toppings first so that they are ready to go.
- If you prefer your tacos on the spicy side, add in a little cayenne to the seasoning.
More Tex Mex Recipes
If you loved this mexican ground beef taco recipe, make sure you also try my other Tex Mex recipes:
Tacos
INGREDIENTS
Taco Meat
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef
- ½ cup onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
Taco seasoning
- 1 tablespoon chili Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion Powder
Toppings
- 1 cup grape/cherry tomatoes
- 2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
- 1 avocado, peeled and cubed
- 1/3 cup red onion, sliced or diced or pickled
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Sour cream
- Lime slices
- 8 tortillas
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef. Break the beef up with a wooden spoon while cooking. Add chopped onion. Cook the ground beef fully, until browned and no longer pink.
- Drain any excess grease from the skillet. Then return to the stove and reduce the heat to low.
- Add the 1/2 cup tomato sauce and taco seasoning. Stir together until the meat is coated in the sauce.
- Allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add taco meat to tacos shells and add toppings.
- Serve with your favorite salad and sides.
TIPS & NOTES
- Once the meat has browned, drain away excess fat so that the mixture isn’t greasy. You can quickly do this using a fine mesh sieve.
- Because the meat is quick to cook, I often chop and prep my toppings first so that they are ready to go.
- If you prefer your tacos on the spicy side, add in a little cayenne to the seasoning.
NUTRITION
Use the tag #DeliciousMeetsHealthy when posting a picture of your recipe, and make sure to follow @deliciousmeetshealthy on Instagram!
